Google Gets a Facelift

Through a series of nips and tucks, Google seeks to become even more ubiquitous in our online lives than ever

When Google announced its new social network, Google+ (still in "field trial" with a limited user base), the search giant also started rolling out some cosmetic changes to its existing services, from Gmail (still in preview) to Calendar.

Not much new functionality came with the interface facelift, other than a few minor features here and there. Rather, the redesign seems aimed at better unifying the user experience within the Google universe. The sleek and streamlined interiors and greater consistency across the menu bar remind you that you're logged in and getting a personalized experience.

Yet, not all Google services and sites have that lovely dark gray bar, including YouTube and Picnik. Orkut—that other Google social network that only really caught on in Brazil and India—didn't make the cut either. Google Books has the bar, but Translate and Scholar do not. Google Voice got "bar"red, SketchUp did not. (If you're not into the new Google fashion, you can remove Google's dark gray bar when you're in Firefox or Chrome.) Anyone see a pattern forming here? It could be that a, massive Google re-branding campaign is in effect, as Mashable reported. Blogger will become Google Blogs. Picassa's new name is Google Photos. No one is sure yet if Google is finished rolling out its new wardrobe, so there could be more surprises to come.

The design choices show an affinity for that oft-forgotten mantra of Web development, KISS (keep it simple, stupid). All the refreshed pages look cleaner and more current. It almost reminds me of the look of a browser, with most pages being nearly framed. The push for consistency may be a call for more Google-y branding, and the concept of keeping the user within the Google sphere of influence, both physically and mentally is powerful. Millions of people already closely associate Google with the Internet itself (what's one without the other?), and these latest touches only strengthen that marriage.